Level Design
= Overview = Doppelganger takes place in a palace during peace talks between two warring factions, built atop a hill, and surrounded by steep cliffs with only a bridge connecting to the outside world. this palace will be the players playground to spread discord and ruin the potential peace. the palace has been designed not only to accommodate the players playstyle but also to help communicate the history, ideals and personalities of the world. Aims when designing the palace a few key aims were kept in mind: · A space that is easy to navigate, understand and learn while still being grand and awe-inspiring · The creation of space that tells the story not just the world but of the occupants. · A stage for narrative and drama. · free form puzzle solving = The Palace = the palace is divided into 2 floor and has 8 different districts each with different aesthetics, purposes and gameplay opportunities. · District one- the main hall. · District one B- the courtyard. · District two- garden/lounge. · District three- staff quarters. · Desperate four- church. · District four B- church upper floor. · District five- palace upper floor. · District six- the Palisade. District One The main hall The main hall is the main hub and where the players actions can be seen the most. The main hall is serving as the negotiation room for the two factions. This is where the player will start and acts as the “Jesus Christ” moment of the level as the room should be presented as large and grand. while limited in terms of gameplay the hall is the main stage for the narrative of the game and has a high amount of foot traffic both by the player and all npcs. Windows had been placed around the so the player is instantly introduced to the idea of the palace being a large interwoven space to explore. District One B The courtyard Tied directly to the main hall this area helps to expand main hub with most of the playable space reading off of district one. This area also helps introduce some gameplay to the district with with opportunities for the player to the hide and eavesdrop or socialise with the entire cast of NPC’s. This area should also offer a more relaxed ambulance to contrast with the high stacks political game happening in the hall. District Two The garden and lounge This area mixes the privacy of the lounge with a more open garden and hallway. The purpose of this area is to provide a mix of gameplay opportunities to the player with multiple different NPCs from different factions. with lots of open setting to relax and gardens to explore the player can find useful information here by eavesdropping on passing npcs. the gardens and lounge balcony also over look the beautiful vistas of the cliffside allowing the player to plan unfortunate accidents for npcs. District Three staff quarters The staff quarters lead off from the main hall and provide the player to interact with the palace guards and servants. This will allow the player to disguise themselves as the unnoticed rabble of the palace as well as maybe learning a few degrees from the help. District four The church the church acts as the main headquarters for the Ponifical States. the main floor is a very quiet and holy place where the player may find the usual eavesdropping and sheath difficult. the area is very open and well-guarded by the Ponifical’s own devoted guards. District four B church upper floor The upper reaches of of the church is the inner sanctum of the Ponifical States diplomatic mission. only members are aloud to enter and all movement must go through a walkway overlooking the ground floor, this is not only as a landmark to help oriented but also a deadly trap for the player to exploit. the leader of the Ponifical’s diplomatic mission can be found in the their own private room within this district. District five palace upper floor the Palace upper floor plays host to a grand library, that acts as other landmark within the Palace but also the diplomatic mission of the Haus Von Suderreich. Featuring a grand library with lots of nooks a cranny for interesting stealth gameplay and several private rooms for more intimate and secret conversations. Haus Von Suderreich is a powerful nation feeling no need to be as guarded as its weaker rival therefor this district has a much higher foot fall with bickering counts and sly merchants. District Six The Palisade The palisade has only a miner guard presence and acts as a easy route for the player to move between the two headquarters. due to very little foot fall this area acts as a safe hiding and survey spot for the player. By Craig Duncan, 1702838